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Sustainability assessment of Pistacia vera L. Cultivation in Aegina, Greece: a two-stage multi-criteria analysis

Komnitsas Konstantinos, Bartzas Georgios

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Summary

During the intensive cultivation of Pistacia vera L., considerable amounts of energy and water are consumed and as a result noticeable volumes of greenhouse gases (GHGs) are emitted. Thus, in order to minimize the environmental footprint of pistachio production in small islands such as Aegina, Greece, where availability of natural resources is extremely low and groundwater resources are scarce and of poor quality, a viable economic, eco-friendly and social development strategy is required. In this context, a particularly challenging approach in order to overcome the limitations of other methods that are often vague and contradictory, involves the consideration of the most important economic, environmental and social indicators. Therefore, this study aims to design and explore a two-stage methodology in a holistic environment that integrates life cycle analysis (LCA), environmental risk assessment and on-farm surveys using multi-criteria decision methods such as the Analytical Hierarchy Process (AHP). The proposed sustainability assessment methodology can be easily adapted to other similar crops and areas in the Mediterranean region and thus enable efficient decision making for various stakeholders such as farmers, agricultural associations, policy makers, local and regional authorities.

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